


(Don’t) Lose yourself into me

by BarbAndCo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27190996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbAndCo/pseuds/BarbAndCo
Summary: Jet and Zuko meet the way banished Fire Nation princes turned fugitives meet rebel leaders turned refugees- on a ferry to Ba Sing Se.Jet is instantly intrigued by a boy with a scar and fighting skills that rival his own. Meanwhile, Zuko just wants to survive the boat ride without getting found out, but somehow, manages to get caught up in Jet's bright eyes and clever plans anyway.OrCanon-divergence AU where Jet never sees Iroh warm his tea and how such a small thing can change everything.
Relationships: Jet/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 227





	1. Nice to meet you. Care to join a life of crime?

**Author's Note:**

> Answer to the prompt "I don't think you'd want me in your gang" from tumblr.
> 
> This is my first JetKo fic so please be kind. Also, consider this a late submission to Jetko renaissance week!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jet and Zuko at the Ferry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update: made changes since first posting!

When something catches Jet’s attention, he can’t help but obsess over it. It settles in his mind, takes over, and suddenly it’s all he can think about. When he still had a village worth of kids to take care of, his mind was filled with a single goal: get the Fire Nation out of their land. 

It was that single-minded drive that helped him and the rest of the Freedom Fighter survive every day under the Fire Nation without getting caught. But he let that need to take back their home fuel him so completely, let it warp his perception of the world so much that it took him to a dark place. Somewhere he vowed to never go back to again. He isn’t that person, not really, he never wanted to be. He was misguided by his hatred, but he’s trying to be better now. That’s why he’s on this ferry in the first place. He just wants what everyone on this boat wants— a fresh start.

Jet thinks maybe he could let that be his new goal. He can want that for himself and his friends. A new life living as normally as refugees could in the walled city of Ba Sing Se. He can live as a regular teenager just another nameless person in a crowd of thousands. He could want that. 

This hope for a more mundane existence lasts a few hours until something much more interesting attracts Jet’s unwavering, single-minded focus. As soon as he steps onto the ferry, Jet sees a boy. The universe probably has it out for him. Honestly, he thought it would take more than a pretty face and a scar to get him interested.

He’s pretty used to being wrong by now. 

Jet watches the boy, probably the same age as him, stalk around the deck following an old man, his father maybe? Handsome, short spiky hair, lithe body, and light on his feet by the looks of it but he can't really tell with the way the other boy is stomping around. Grumpy. Just by looking at him, no one would know he’s special— just another misguided kid burned by the Fire Nation. But Jet has an eye for these things and his gut is telling him otherwise. The other teen’s mouth is set on what seems like a permanent frown and he looks around the ferry with a silent fury. Like it's beneath him to even be on this both. All these things do nothing to make Jet lose interest. If anything, it gets Jet even more intrigued.

“What are you looking at?” Smellerbee asks, trying to follow his line of sight.

Jet smirks, his eyes not straying from the mysterious teen. “Don’t know yet.”

Longshot shakes his head at him.

“Don’t be like that, man.” Jet bumps their shoulders together. “The worst thing that can happen is we make a friend. Besides, he’s different. I can feel it.”

Smellerbee grabs his shoulder forcing him to look at her.

“We’re here for a new start, Jet,” she reminds him almost desperately. 

“I know,” he smiles at her winningly. She's gotten used to it throughout the years but it never hurts to try. “But let’s not forget about who we are too.”

Jet looks at the two last Freedom Fighters who stayed at his side. He won’t let them down. Not this time. Not ever.

“We’re the Freedom Fighters,” he reminds them. “A new city doesn’t change that.”

“It won’t,” Smellerbee promises. "But we need to be careful, Jet."

Longshot nods.

"Fine, have it your way."

* * *

True to his word, Jet doesn't go looking for trouble. He stays put and he hates every second of it. Years of living on high alert means he's sensitive to every noise, every movement that could mean danger. He's used to having his guard up all the time and the feeling of always being in danger isn't easy to shake off. Just sitting around and doing nothing makes him feel worse, like he's losing control. He can't have that.

“I’m going for a walk.” Jet leaves before Smellerbee or Longshot could stop him.

He wanders through the ferry without a destination in mind. His brain is hardwired to take in every single detail as he passes through the halls. The exits, the number of doors, possible vantage points, anything that could be of use later on. He’s not leading anyone anymore but old habits die hard.

The ferry had three levels. The top was where the captain and special guests like nobles, high ranking officials, and generals stayed. The second had common folk from the more rural villages of the Earth Kingdom. Those just looking for a better life but not running away, not for necessity. And then there was the lowest section, their section of the ferry is overcrowded reserved for those desperate to escape their war-ravaged villages or people with just nowhere to go. 

Jet wades through the cramp space. In the lowest level, people just stayed wherever there was room. Everyone looked exhausted, every face looked gaunt and pale. He sees parents holding their sleeping children while sitting on the cold hard floor. Old people huddled up by the wall wrapped up in ratty blankets— everyone, miserable and hungry, just looking for a place to feel safe.

He thinks back on how he, Smellerbee, and Longshot even got on this stupid ship. It was all luck. Lucky enough to stumble upon a small boat headed to the pier. Lucky enough that the person Jet chatted up worked at the bay and had enough of a heart to feel sorry for a bunch of misplaced orphans. Not quite sorry enough to let them in the stupid boat for free though. 

After his third loop around the main halls, Jet decides to do a little tour of inaccessible parts of the ship. He sneaks into the secret crew entrance and finds himself in the second level of the ferry. It was smaller than the lower levels, about half the size and not so crowded. There weren’t a lot of people in the halls at this time in the evening, all probably in their rooms but there were some still out and about. He kept his head down trying not to get noticed. He passed by their mess hall and found supper still being passed around. Seeing the steaming bowls of rice piled with some meat made his stomach grumble. Back in the lower levels, the guards told them the few pots of rice, cold vegetable stock, and a handful of bread were all they had to serve for the evening. He knew it was bullshit.

 _But these aren’t the people to blame, are they?_ Jet thinks.

He decides to go to the captain’s floor to get the full picture of what he's dealing with. Slipping into the third level is harder than anticipated. The guards are making rounds which should really make Jet back out of this impromptu mission but it the chance of getting caught only thrills him. As he creeps closer to the brightly lit room, what he assumes is the dining hall, he hears music. Then, laughter. 

He peers into the window to see the captain at the head of a long table piled with food, from assorted roasted meats to dainty desserts. And all to feed twenty people. The captain and his special guests get to gorge themselves while so many were starving. 

A familiar feeling stirred in Jet seeing the injustice of it all. He grits his teeth as the captain and his friends gorge themselves, piling more and more food on their plates— food they were probably going to throw away— while children and the elderly starved just a few levels below. 

It’s here that Jet hatches the beginnings of a plan. The trip to Ba Sing Se will take one more day, so what’s one day that the captain doesn’t get to eat his fancy dinner?

Jet jumps from roof to roof excited about what’s to come.

* * *

He explains the situation to Longshot and Smellerbee. They were not too thrilled.

“We’re supposed to be staying out of trouble,” Smellerbee reminds him.

Longshot doesn’t seem so bothered. He gives Jet a shrug.

“Longshot, not you too.” Smellerbee looks at them both in exasperation but Jet can clearly see that she was starting to get on board.

 _Just a little push,_ Jet thinks. 

“Smellerbee, look around you,” he says. “These people have eaten nothing but scraps and moldy food for days while the captain is up there living large.”

She still looks skeptical.

“We’re the Freedom Fighters,” Jet reminds her. “We can’t just do nothing while people suffer.”

Smellerbee eyes their fellow refugees. Sitting in the cold, dark ship eating nothing but scraps, opting to go hungry so someone else could get food. She looks at Jet and nods.

“What’s the plan?”

* * *

Zuko never thought he’d just give up everything he’s worked so hard for. Years of working and praying and searching gone in just a manner of days. It makes him want to set something on fire. He wants to destroy something with his bare hands. 

There's always been a burning rage inside of him ever since he was banished. It used to flare every now and again making him snappy and impulsive. Now, it feels like anger and resentment could consume him— just swallow him whole.

He hates this. He hates hiding his identity, he hates the fact that he’s a criminal to his own country. And he absolutely loathes the fact that at the end of the day all he can do is blame himself. He didn’t capture the Avatar, and it looks like he’s never going to. He just wants to go home. That's all he's ever wanted to do. But the closer the ferry gets to the walled city, the farther he is from ever going back to the only life he’s ever known.

As he stares out into the horizon, he feels his Uncle hovering around him the way he usually does when he’s trying to figure out the best way to say something. Zuko is tired of hearing the old man’s platitudes and reassurances. For once, he just wants him to acknowledge how horrible everything is instead of the brighter side of things.

Zuko hunches over the railing, nursing his cold soup the guards passed around earlier, watching the endless sea when Iroh finally steps up beside him.

“Who would have thought after all these years, I’d return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace.” Iroh turns away for a second and returns wearing a floral hat. “As a tourist!”

Zuko wants to yell. So, he does. “Uncle, Look around! We're not tourists, we're refugees.”

He takes a sip of the food and spits it out immediately. “Ugh! I’m sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I’m tired of living like this!”

“Aren’t we all,” a voice says.

Zuko turns abruptly to find the source of those words. He sees a tall young man with messy hair and mismatched armor, radiating a self-assuredness that has Zuko on edge. The other teen smiles at him, all confidence and teeth. Zuko's fingers twich.

“My name's Jet,” the boy introduces himself and gestures to his companions. “And these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot.”

“Hey,” the girl says while the other boy nods.

“Hello.” Zuko isn’t quite sure what’s happening so he keeps his guard up. Jet’s easy smile is made to win people over but Zuko isn’t going to be so easily appeased.

When his defensive stance doesn't falter and the scowl stays firmly on his face, Jet sees it for what it is and welcomes the challenge with enthusiasm. It ticks Zuko off even more.

“Here’s the deal,” Jet cuts straight to the point. “I hear the captain's eating like a king while the refugees have to feed off his scraps.”

He looks right at Zuko when he asks, “Doesn't seem fair, does it?”

“What sort of king is he eating like?” Iroh cuts in.

“The fat, happy kind,” Jet answers.

Iroh's mouth waters and Zuko wants to know why his uncle is so embarrassing sometimes.

Jet turns to Z ukowith a smirk. “You want to help us _liberate_ some food?”

He stares at Jet’s bright eyes, intimidating… _inviting_. He realizes then and there just how sick and tired he is of getting the short end of the stick, time and time again. He spent three years trying to capture the Avatar and regain his honor and all he has to show for it is defeat and his own sister trying to kill him. He needs some control back. He needs a win.

Jet smiles at him as he looks down at his hands and throws the bowl of rotten food overboard.

“I’m in.”

Jet smirks. 

Zuko hopes he doesn’t regret this.

* * *

Zuko has been walking around the ship for thirty minutes trying to find the meeting place. Jet told them they shouldn't go there at the same time so they wouldn't be noticed which is sound logic at the time but not now that he's been going around the halls for what has got to be the fifth time.

He’s taking another turn when a hand grabs his arm and yanks him inside a storage closet.

“Hey!” he yells but a hand covers his mouth before he could get the whole word out.

“Shush,” Jet whispers, the hand not covering Zuko's mouth is pinning his chest to the wall. “We don’t want the guards to hear.”

Zuko huffs through his nose and shoves Jet away hard. The other teen isn't fazed at all as he smiles still full of charm and bravado. 

“Got lost?” Jet is smirking, one dimple showing.

“No,” he says, trying to keep his composure.

“Is that why you did five laps around the deck?”

Zuko inhales sharply. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s kinda cute to see you all confused.” Jet shrugs leaning on the opposite wall.

He backs up against the wall further and crosses his arms over his chest. Jet seems content to just watch him which makes things uncomfortable. The way Jet looks at him is weird. It's not the pitying glances he's gotten traversing through the Earth Kingdom as people take note of his scar. It's not the derision the members of the Fire Nation court threw his way as he was banished. It's a cross between interest and almost like appreciation. 

Jet winks at him and Zuko realizes belatedly that he's been staring back.

He is all too aware of the heat rising in his cheeks so he tries for a distraction. “Where are your friends?”

“They’ll be here in a minute, don’t worry.” Jet doesn't stop looking at him and he feels like he’s being dissected. “For now, we have some quality time together.”

“I’m here to 'liberate food'." He makes sure to put air quotes in there as he makes his point clear. "Not make friends."

“Can’t you do both?” Jet asks.

Zuko ignores him to instead look down at his shoes.

Jet bumps their feet together. “Hey, I didn’t catch your name.”

“I didn’t give it.” Zuko doesn’t give into the urge to roll his eyes. He’s seen people like Jet before, all arrogance and swagger. He doesn’t buy the front for a second and he’s pretty sure Jet thinks the same about him. But at the heart of it there’s something about Jet. The way he looks at him, like Jet is seeing all the way through. It rattles him more than he’d like to admit.

“Can’t call you ‘hey you’ forever.” Jet is apparently amused by Zuko’s stubbornness instead of annoyed which only serves to annoy Zuko. 

He makes the mistake of looking up at Jet, sincerity and eagerness written plainly across his face. He bites his lip and sighs giving in.

“Li,” he says.

“Li,” Jet repeats.

Zuko is taken aback by the warmth in Jet’s smile. It makes him look younger.

 _It suits him_ , he thinks.

* * *

The rest of the Freedom Fighters join them in the hidden enclave soon after. Zuko is wary of this whole ragtag team. The roguish girl and the silent boy flank Jet in an almost protective manner which is funny considering Jet is their leader and towers over both of them. 

“So, here’s the plan…” Jet starts explaining what they’re going to do and some part of Zuko feels swayed. Suddenly, he understands what Smellerbee and Longshot see in Jet and why they’re so willing to follow his orders.

Jet talks with such passion like they’re doing more than just stealing food from the captain’s deck. Like what they’re doing matters and maybe it does. Jet looks at him and Zuko feels like he’s ready to take a leap. They set out their plan. 

Zuko leads Jet and Smellerbee up to the kitchens, avoiding guards along the way. They make it to the doors and Jet jams the lock with his hook sword. Zuko and Jet make quick work of getting all the food they can in their bags while Smellerbee keeps watch. Jet gets the duck hanging from the hooks while Zuko expertly balances the bowls on his sword and ties them up.

Zuko looks up at Jet who smiles at him from across the room. He fights back another blush trying to make its way up his neck. 

“Guards are coming,” Smellerbee says.

They hurry to the edge of the deck. Longshot is waiting ready at the third deck, he aims his bow attached with a gliding rope and fires directly onto the wooden railing. Jet and Zuko fasten their bags of food securely on the rope and slide it down. Jet, Zuko, and Smellerbee go down the same way.

Longshot dislodges the arrow from the railing and they hurry off.

Zuko smiles, for the first time in a while, satisfied at a job well done.

* * *

“You guys go ahead and eat,” Jet says to the rest of them. “I’ll give the rest out to the others.”

Longshot and Smellerbee join Iroh at their littel corner at the side of the ship. Zuko hesitates standing still as Jet walks away.

“Don’t worry about it Li. Go eat up. You did well tonight.” Jet pats him on the back once, a light touch but feels like it makes all the difference to Zuko. "I'll just hand these out to the rest of the refugees."

Zuko makes it a point to not watch Jet walk away. Instead, he sits next to his uncle who starts making smalltalk with Smellerbee while Longshot nods from time to time. He isn’t really paying attention to any of it, eyes straying to wherever Jet is.

He's still trying to figure Jet out when he is snapped out of his trance by Smellerbee storming off. They watch Longshot go after her and then Jet is in front of them and Zuko's attention is back on him. 

“From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se,” Jet says, wistfully. “I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall.”

“It is a magnificent site,” Iroh’s voice full of weight.

“So you've been there before?”

“Once.” Iroh sips his tea. “When I was a... different man.”

“I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of, but that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se. For a new beginning.” Jet smiles kindly at the old man, full of sympathy and adds, “A second chance.”

Jet says it with such hope it makes Zuko feel a twinge of sympathy. 

“That's very noble of you,” Iroh says. “I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances.”

The last sentence is directed at him, he knows. But he refuses to meet his uncle’s eyes so he looks at Jet instead. 

Jet doesn’t seem to mind the attention which shouldn’t fascinate him but it does.

Zuko is in trouble.

* * *

The next morning, Zuko stands at the front of the ship watching the city get closer and closer. Jet finds him, like he expected he would. He approaches without a word and settles beside Zuko.

“You know as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were,” Jet says.

Zuko holds his breath. His hands curl into fists and tries to get his breathing under control. They can’t have been discovered so quickly, so easily. They’re so close to Ba Sing Se. 

“You’re an outcast like me,” Jet continues and Zuko breathes a sigh of relief.

“And us outcasts have to stick together.” Jet’s voice takes on that impassioned tone like the one the night before. “We have to watch each others’ backs because no one else will.”

“I’ve realized lately that being on your own isn’t always the best path,” Zuko replies after a moment of silence. 

Zuko wants to ask why Jet is so interested in him, but he’s afraid of the answer. He also isn’t sure if Jet would tell him the truth anyway.

“So, how’re you liking the trip so far?”

The question catches Zuko off guard so all he can think to reply is, “Not bad.”

Jet chuckles and Zuko wants to jump overboard to deal with the embarrassment. Before Zuko could make an even bigger fool out of himself the guard announces that they’re almost there and should prepare for departure immediately.

“Guess we should get ready then,” Jet says, already walking away. “I’ll see you around, Li.”

“See you,” he replies almost like a whisper.

* * *

Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot pile out of the ship and into the train station. Jet can feel the difference already. They’re going to make a life here. They’re going to do it.

“I think Li would make a good freedom fighter,” Jet says apropos to nothing. “He’s just trying to find his way in the world. Like us.”

“You don’t know anything about him Jet,” Smellerbee argues.

“I know he didn’t get that scar from a waterbender.” Jet is already looking for Li in the train station. There’s just something about Li that makes Jet want to know more. Li is a mystery Jet wants nothing more than to uncover.

“Besides," Smellerbee continues like Jet didn't say anything. "I thought we were going straight now."

“We are,” Jet agrees. “And the new freedom fighters could use a guy like Li.”

Smellerbee clearly isn’t onboard with this plan which is fine. She’ll warm up to the idea soon enough— he hopes.

“What do you think, Longshot?”

Longshot gives him a long, meaningful look.

Jet nods. “I can respect that.”

“You’ve already made up your mind haven’t you?” Smellerbee rolls her eyes.

“I think the guy has potential."

“Just make sure you know what you’re doing,” she says.

“I promise.” He puts a hand over his heart too for good measure.

Jet spots Li sitting alone on one of the stone benches. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I have someone to recruit.”

* * *

“So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?” Jet asks sliding over to sit next to Li and Mushi.

The old man orders some tea and Jet uses the distraction to get Li alone.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” Jet walks off to the side expecting Li to follow and he does but with a loud sigh filled with exasperation.

Jet doesn’t know why he finds Lee’s stubbornness so endearing but spirits help him he does.

“You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together,” Jet starts making his pitch then decides to cut straight to the point because the scowl on Li's face is back full force. “You want to join the Freedom Fighters?”

“Thanks, but I don’t think you’d want me in your gang.” Li doesn’t even pretend to think about it.

That hurt but Jet isn’t someone who’s deterred easily. He tries another angle.

“Come on, we made a great team looting that captain's food,” he tries. “Think of all the good we could do for these refugees.”

“I said no,” Li says so firmly it was kind of scary. He starts walking away and Jet watches him rooted to the spot. 

“Have it your way.” Jet thinks he hides the disappointment in his voice fairly well. But Li wouldn’t know it since he’s already halfway back to where his uncle is. 

It’s a good thing Jet doesn’t scare easily. If Li doesn’t want to join the Freedom Fighters, that’s fine. But the universe can’t just put a mysterious stranger who's cunning, good with swords, and has a very pretty face and just expect Jet to forget about him. A person like him is someone after his own heart. 

Jet goes back to Smellerbee and Longshot to tell them the bad news. They look relieved which is kind of insulting, he’s not sure to who though.

He searches the crowd again before they board the train to the Lower Rings of Ba Sing Se only to find that Li is already looking at him. Li blushes at being caught staring and looks away, head down but the blush has risen to his ears. Adorable.

 _Come on now_ , Jet thinks. He can't _not_ try to get close to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!


	2. It’s not nice to see you again. Come back tomorrow.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jet is a trouble magnet It's probably fate or something. So, it's really not his fault if he gets chased around and certainly not his fault if he crashes and burns. Zuko wonders though why he's the one picking up the pieces and why he's doing it out of his own volition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for the lovely comments <3 also, im so sorry this was super late but it's here now and i hope you enjoy!
> 
> update: made changes!

The first thing Jet does when they arrive to Ba Sing Se is find a job, which was much easier than he expected. Apparently, someone is always looking for some cheap labor and a fit young man was right for a lot of jobs around the Lower Rings.

Jet chooses a something that doesn’t pay much but the elderly couple who owns the livestock business seems nice. Easy to sweet talk if he needed something. And really, cleaning up after livestock isn’t too bad compared to what the other people here are offering. He walks the streets and he realizes it’s so easy to fall into the wrong crowd.

His friends got jobs after a few days of looking too. Smellerbee delivers packages now and Longshot has an apprenticeship at a herbal medicine shop. Jet isn't sure how Longshot pulled that off but he's happy for him. All in all things are looking pretty good for the last of the Freedom Fighters. Or at least, not so bleak and desolate than he anticipated.

“Maybe this time we’ll be alright,” Smellerbee says as they sit and wait for their food. They're at the closest eatery from the old dorm they currently call home. It's loud and messy and a far cry away from the calm of the forest.

Longshot smiles in agreement.

“Yeah.” Jet looks out at the people outside, living their lives, trying to survive. There’s something that grows in his chest— something he doesn't dare think of as hope. 

They eat quickly and hurry back to the dorm. After a few days in the city, they quickly realize that there are some unspoken rules they have to follow and one of them is not to get caught loitering around by the Dai Li.

Their dorm isn’t much but at least they get their own rooms. It’s not the most ideal of starts, he knows but it can only go up from here. As long as they’re all together, they can make it through anything.

Everything is going great except for the fact that Jet can’t stop thinking about Li. They parted ways in the train station and Jet has made no move so far to find him. Li made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want anything to do with the Freedom Fighters, but Jet can’t let it go. It’s not that he’s bad at dealing with rejection, he's not. All he wants is an opportunity to persuade the guy. Sell him on the benefits of being part of their little group. He knows Li will fit right into their gang. The heist at the ferry already proved they can work together. Why not something more?

Maybe he can convince Li if he had the chance to up his charm a bit. Bat an eyelash, tuck a stray hair into an ear, tilt his chin up with his finger. He's not above using unconventional methods. He keeps finding himself lost in that train of thought, because really what else is there to think about aside from the mundane slush of life in Ba Sing Se?

“Are you still moping about Li?” Smellerbee asks one day when she notices him staring moodily out the window of his small room. It’s their day off and she and Longshot want to take him out into town and see what else the city has in store for them.

Longshot gives him a judgmental stare.

“I’m not,” he says. He’s fine. It's not like he thinks about Li _all_ the time. Most of the time, sure.

“He’s just a boy, Jet.” Smellerbee sits down next to him. “Nothing special.”

Jet finds offence in that. He only met Li once but he knows the boy is plenty special. So, perhaps that’s why he’s obsessing over it. Because Li is a mystery to him now and if he could just figure him out then he’d be done with the whole thing and that would be that.

But, no. Li had to go tell him no and leave in a huff without any explanation and now Jet is sitting here wondering what he’s doing.

Longshot shakes his head in that particular way of his.

“No, it’s not just because Li didn’t _fall_ for my charms,” Jet tells Longshot. “It’s not!”

Smellerbee snickers. “Oh, sure.”

“Really!” Jet feels his face getting hot. “Okay, he’s good with swords, he was really down to steal from the rich and give to the refugees, and I’ll admit he’s pretty alright looking but my only concern is the potential contribution he has for our group.”

“That’s a long winded way of saying you have a crush on him,” Smellerbee says. “And also kind of bitter that he doesn’t like you back.”

Only a few things can raise Jet’s hackles, and this is one of those things. Jet readies his explanation of how that is definitely not the case and of course she would think that because she wasn’t there when they were talking on the boat. They had a moment. Plenty of moments actually.

Before Jet could say any of that, Longshot put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a most meaningful look.

“If it’s meant to be, then you’ll meet again,” Longshot says. 

Jet didn’t expect that from his usually silent friend. Longshot only says things out loud when he really means them.

“Thanks.”

Jet decides that maybe sitting by his window isn’t the best way to spend his time. With a sigh he gets up and joins his friends to the market. Maybe then he’ll have something else to think about. 

* * *

Zuko is busy wiping down table after table and teacup after teacup at the dingy little tea shop where he and his uncle are currently gainfully employed. He wonders just how well connected his uncle is in the city when not even a day after arriving they’ve already gotten jobs and at a tea shop of all places. Not the finest tea shop in the Lower Rings by far but it was good enough to get them through their days. 

It gave them money for food and rent which was more than he could hope for when just a couple of days ago they were begging for alms, eating rotten food, and sleeping in dirt.

He wipes down the rickety tables, and arranges the wobbly chairs as he thinks about his Uncle’s secret old man club. He wishes his uncle got them jobs at an establishment that isn’t quite so… shabby.

At the back of his mind, he can’t help but bitterly think about his recently abandoned destiny— although maybe it was never his destiny after all because surely fate couldn’t so easily be forsaken. It all seems like a cosmic joke now. He’s supposed to be a prince, someone in a palace being served hand and foot instead he’s sweeping the floors of a rundown tea shop with neither crown nor title. Not even his honor. Not even his own name.

“Have you thought about going out?” Iroh suggests as they close up shop. He adds optimistically, “Perhaps you’ll make friends.”

Zuko rolls his eyes. “It’s not like this place has anything for me.”

“You’ll find your place here soon, nephew,” Iroh says. “Just be patient.”

“Sure, Uncle,” Zuko sighs. A part of him wants to believe his uncle. He wants to like this new life they’re trying out, he truly does. “We’ll see.”

It goes like that. Uncle and him go to the tea shop and work. Uncle suggests he go out more. He pretends to think about it. And it repeats. The days blend together, another then another and it goes on and on and on. 

_Ba Sing Se is boring,_ Zuko thinks as he goes about his routine. Everything he does is painfully mundane; it makes him feel restless. In times like these, he finds his thoughts making their way to Jet. 

He doesn’t want to think about Jet but sometimes when he’s alone in their small apartment while Uncle is away doing who knows what, Zuko considers the other teen’s offer and perhaps he was too hasty in turning it down. Then, he berates himself for even entertaining the idea that he might have made a mistake.

 _It’s safer this way_ , he thinks. He makes himself believe in those words. Jet seems like a nice enough guy but with an aura of danger around him and Zuko doesn’t want to get anyone or himself in trouble.

Thinking about Jet is a useless exercise, Zuko decides. Ba Sing Se is a big city. He will probably never see Jet again.

* * *

It’s probably fate. That’s the only explanation Jet has when he accidentally stumbles upon an opportunity for a scheme while doing an errand for his boss. 

The old man asked him to check when they could ship the animals out to the nearby islands so he went to the harbor… which led him to a find port schedule in an office that resulted to him rifling through important shipping documents which then led him to finding out that a shipment of meat going straight to the Upper Rings in three weeks.

He remembers the old and sickly in the makeshift refugee centers during their first days in the city. How many people were still starving but didn’t have the money and had to live off scraps? How many could be saved with just a crate of food that no one in the richer half of the city would miss?

Jet isn’t a big believer in destiny but this might just change his mind.

“What are you doing in here, boy?” came an angry voice from the door.

Jet looks up startled, he’s caught red handed with the plans and schedule. “Um, I got lost? Gotta go bye!”

He jumps through the window quickly and starts to run, the plans safely in hand. He’s probably being chased. He doesn’t risk looking back though. He jumps through the rooftops and he hears yelling and a lot of profanities. He makes the mistake of looking down and seeing that he is in fact being chased and it’s by police with swords. 

_Fuck._

Jet missteps and falls.

_Double fuck._

* * *

Zuko is alone waiting for Uncle to come back from the market so they can finally open up shop. He’s stacking plates for no good reason than it's something to do when someone drops through the ceiling.

“Ow,” says the heap on top of the table.

Zuko is on his feet immediately and puts his fists up. “Who’s there?”

“I just fell into your place, man,” the person groaned. “Give me a break.”

Zuko knows that voice. He’s been thinking about him for weeks and now he just shows up out of the blue, falling from the sky. What the fuck. “Jet?”

Jet raises his head to look at him but not getting up. “Oh hey, Li.” He gives a small wave then he groans in pain, head falling back down.

“What are you doing here?” he demands not getting closer. He’s got his guard up but he’s not entirely sure why.

“Li, I just fell through your roof,” Jet says. “I think a bit of concern is warranted. Or at least put your fists down.”

“Oh, right.” Zuko drops his stance and rushes over to Jet who lies prone and vulnerable on the splintered tables. At least the tables broke his fall. And also, what in the world was Jet doing falling from the roof? But first he asks, “Are you okay?”

“No,” Jet groans again. “Again, and I can’t stress this enough, I fell through the fucking roof.”

“Don’t move,” Zuko says.

“No problem."

Zuko rolls his eyes and finally gives Jet a proper look over. Jet doesn’t seem to be hurt that seriously but he wants to make sure anyway. He bends down to grab Jet’s shoulders gently.

“I’m going to touch you.” Zuko feels for any broken bones then moves down to the ribs.

“Hey, now I think you should buy me dinner first,” Jet snickers then grit his teeth in pain. “Ow.”

“Where does it hurt?” Zuko asks instead of giving Jet the satisfaction.

“Everywhere,” Jet says. “Tables aren’t the best place to land.”

Zuko fights the urge to poke him hard on the side. It doesn’t look like anything is broken so he helps Jet sit up which he does with less difficulty than he anticipated. He moves Jet so he could sit on the floor. Zuko goes behind him and rucks the other teen’s shirt up.

“What are you doing?!” Jet bats his hands away. “If you’re getting frisky, I wasn’t kidding about dinner.”

“You fell on your back.” Zuko continues to hike Jet’s top up to expose the smattering of bruises spread across his shoulder and down the small of his back. “I’m trying to see how bad the bruising is.”

“Oh.” Jet blinks. “Uh, thanks. How is it?”

“Looks bad.” Zuko jabs him with his finger. Jet yelps in pain. “Very bad.”

“Is that necessary?” Jet glares at him.

“You broke our roof,” Zuko says. “So, yeah.”

“I was being chased,” Jet explains in a huff. “So, I took some shortcuts. Not my fault your roof was flimsy.”

“Why were you being chased?” Zuko is a hundred percent sure that it was because of something illegal.

“I might have snuck into an office and stole some documents.” Jet tries to shrug but abandons it. “I have a new project if you want in.”

Jet grins at him, the same inviting smile that made him say yes the first time so Zuko does the only thing he can think of. He pokes Jet’s bruise again.

“GAH!” Jet shouts. “Will you stop that!”

“And what if the people chasing you followed you here?” Zuko demands.

“Nah. If they did, they should’ve been here by now.”

“You’re a mess.” Zuko gets up. “Stay there.”

“Wasn’t planning on going anywhere,” Jet mutters.

“Do you ever shut up?” Zuko says on his way to the kitchen.

“No,” Jet yells back.

Zuko grabs a bowl of ice and tries to look for a towel big enough for his purpose, he gives up when all he could find were dirty dish towels. He comes back to the room with Jet feeling up his back probably trying to figure out where the bruising is worse.

“Stop moving or you’ll hurt yourself worse than you’ve already had.” Zuko kneels in front of Jet and looks him straight in the eyes. “Take your shirt off.”

Jet sighs but obliges and jokes. “Stop teasing.”

“You’re incorrigible,” Zuko says as he removes his sash belt and moves forward.

“Hey now.” Jet looks like he’s at a loss for words as he tries to back up a bit.

“I’m going to tie ice around your back to help with the bruising,” Zuko explains as he puts ice on the sash and wraps around Jet’s middle trying hard not to let any ice fall. Jet goes uncharacteristically quiet and the only sounds in the room are their breathing.

Zuko is so focused on what he’s doing he didn’t realize just how close they are. He’s situated between Jet’s legs, who is also shirtless and Zuko is only now realizing that his own shirt has fallen open. He looks up to see that Jet is staring at him and Zuko could do nothing but look back. Just a hair’s breadth away from… what exactly? Jet is looking at him and Zuko’s too… too… what is he trying to… does… is there… 

The door opens and Uncle is suddenly there holding his purchases from the marketing, just gaping at them from the entryway. 

“Well, this is new,” Uncle Iroh says. “And the tables need repairing.”

“Hi Mushi,” Jet greets cheerily, not caring about the compromising position they’re caught in. “I was just dropping by.”

Iroh finally notices the whole in the ceiling and makes the connection. “Ah.”

“Are you okay, young man?” Iroh closing the door and setting his bags down the nearest unbroken table.

“Just peachy.” Jet grins at Zuko who’s still paralyzed on the spot. “Li's just patching me up. Sorry about your roof.”

Iroh eyes the damage and decides, “An easy fix.”

Zuko looks disbelieving at his Uncle who just shrugs and carries on like there isn’t a gaping whole in their ceiling, broken tables, and a teenager bruised and shirtless on the floor.

Jet is probably just thanking his lucky stars that he got away from the people chasing him and Zuko and Iroh aren’t going to the authorities.

“Would you like some tea?” Iroh asks Jet.

Jet says his thanks and Zuko cannot believe this is happening to him right now.

After the incident with the roof, Jet drops by the tea shop as often as he can. He tries to chat with him every chance he gets so Zuko learns where Jet and his friends are staying and what they're doing and Zuko in turn shares some details about his life in Ba Sing Se. Jet asks questions about Li like he's really interested, like he wants to get to know whoever Li is. And Zuko begrudgingly admits to himself when he’s alone in his room in the middle of the night that he doesn’t mind it as much as he should.

“What are you doing here?” Zuko asks when Jet drops by for the sixth time in a row.

“I’d like some tea please, tea server Li,” Jet says with a blinding grin.

Zuko plays along like he has all the other times before. “What tea would you like?”

“Your favorite.” Jet doesn’t take his eyes off of him and Zuko can feel the burning in his cheeks. He always does this.

It all comes to a head when they’re alone in the shop. Uncle is at the back cleaning up after shooing Zuko away so he can spend time with his friend (no matter how many times Zuko denies the fact). 

It’s almost closing time and Jet is the only customer at the shop— if you’d still consider someone who orders one cup of tea and stays for hours a customer.

“Come sit with me,” Jet says and pushes the chair across from him backward.

“Fine,” Zuko acquiesces only because he doesn’t have anything else better to do. “What do you want?”

“Nothing.” Jet shrugs. “Well, nothing from you anyway.

Zuko sighs and crosses his arms over his chest. “If this is about the time in the ferry. I already told you my decision and that’s final.”

"I heard you." Jet smirks. "You said _'I don't think you'd want me in your gang'_ but here's the thing, Li, you never said you didn't _want_ to be."

Zuko snorts. "I'm not joining your gang."

"I know." Jet smiles all smug and confident.

"Then why are you here?" Zuko narrows his eyes.

"Maybe I just wanted to see a friendly face.” Jet sits forward.

"I'm not friendly."

"Yeah, I noticed." Jet leans over the table, resting on his arms. "Guess, I wanted to see you anyway."

"You don't know me,” he says harsher than he intends. “And I don't know you."

"Get to know me then,” Jet replies like it’s the easiest thing in the world “I'm a very interesting person."

Zuko, in spite of himself, chuckles but still he rolls his eyes because he wants to keep his front. Jet doesn’t need to know whatever he’s doing is working on him. "So am I."

"Great. So, I'll pick you up after your shift. Let's explore the city. What do you say?" The way Jet says it makes it seem like the world's best proposition and a dare at the same time. Like he's goading Zuko into it. Knowing Jet, maybe he is.

Zuko is not known to back out from a challenge… But then again, this is his chance to make a change. He can become a better person in Ba Sing Se. Li could be calm where Zuko isn't. Li can pick his battles when Zuko runs into every single one of them head on. Li could live a dull, peaceful life. 

Li could say no.

"Yes," Zuko says. "Don't be late."

The smile Jet gives him makes it hard for Zuko to regret that decision.

“I’ll see you then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always thanks for reading! next chapter is going to be fun


	3. Getting to Know You. Getting to Know All About You.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jet and Zuko go on a life changing filed trip, or at the very least, a nice night out with a potential friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for the kind comments! hope you enjoy this one too.
> 
> i actually had to break this chapter in two because it was already getting too long hence the bump up in chapters

Jet is late. Zuko is seething.

The tea shop closed fifteen minutes ago and his shift ended thirty minutes before that. And now, Zuko is standing outside the shop in a high collared shirt he doesn’t like waiting to see if Jet is even going to turn up.

Jet finally shows his face a few moments later looking haggard. His clothes are in disarray and his hair is a mess which makes Zuko feel even more ridiculous that Uncle made him take the time to fix his hair and put on proper clothes.

“You’re late,” Zuko says.

“You look nice,” Jet replies with a roguish smile. He takes Zuko’s hand and starts walking. “Let’s go. I’ve got something to show you.”

Zuko doesn’t know why he lets himself get pulled around especially by someone like Jet. Or maybe it’s because it’s Jet. Or even worse, maybe this is just who Li is— a pushover. Someone who just gets dragged around by his wrist to wherever the fuck Jet is taking them.

“Where are we going?” Zuko asks, already incredibly irritated and impatient. He didn’t wait for Jet for forty-five minutes just so he can be dragged around by the wrist like a child. He was extremely annoyed and yet he couldn’t get himself to pull his hand back which was even more infuriating. 

“Just trust me,” Jet says, cool and confident. 

_Okay, that does it._ Zuko stops walking and yanks his arm back, grabbing Jet’s arm instead. 

Not even a minute in from Jet showing up and Zuko already wants to fight him. The worst thing about all of this, he found out during Jet’s many visits to the tea shop, is the Jet will never take the bait. Zuko can insult him or throw a fit and Jet will only ever look over with those sharp eyes and smile like he’s enjoying himself. There’s just something about Jet that gets under his skin. He hasn’t decided if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Where are we going, Jet?” he demands.

Jet steps in close to Zuko, who holds his ground. He isn’t going to let Jet intimidate him. Jet comes a little closer and Zuko thinks he might kiss him. Zuko swallows around a lump quickly forming in his throat and his heart is beating a little quicker than normal.

“I’m going to show you the city,” Jet says.

Zuko looks back at him unimpressed. “I’ve already seen it.”

Jet snorts. “Not like this you haven’t. Now, are you going to come along or not?”

Zuko stares at Jet, who seems to falter just a bit.

“I’ll treat you to dinner,” Jet offers.

Zuko heaves a tired sigh. “Fine.”

“Great!” Jet beams. “Follow me.” Jet doesn’t take Zuko’s hand which has curled into a tight fist. Zuko follows Jet and hopes for the best.

  
  


* * *

Jet isn’t sure how long he spends just staring at Li from across the street. It’s probably longer than he should admit. His original plan was to get to the tea shop as early as possible to pick him up, but then it got derailed when he actually gets there and realizes that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. So, he goes inside the apothecary across the street just watching Li finish his shift and wait for him.

He convinces the old lady to let him stay awhile and she notices the way he keeps looking out the window to see Li and she smiles at him with a knowing twinkle in her eye.

“You can stay for a bit,” she tells him. “But I bet it’s all going to go much smoother than you think.”

Jet says his thanks and stares out of the window some more trying to figure out exactly what he wants to do. His original plan was to convince him to join his little heist he has planned but then Li comes out of the shop looking all pretty and proper with his nice shirt and it kind of feels wrong to try and persuade him into joining the Freedom Fighters again, especially when right now it’s more of a one-man band than an actual troop.

He didn’t think things through which is surprising since he’s always got a plan somewhere lying around. Jet asks Li to go with him tonight and what? Li already said that he wasn’t interested in getting into trouble and Jet’s promised that he wouldn’t push, and he’s in the business of keeping his promises now. 

He’s trying really hard to change.

“You know it’s rude to keep your young man waiting,” the kind old lady says. “And I’m not averse to kicking you out by force.”

“But I’m—” Jet gets his ear yanked and then he’s dragged out into the side entrance and pushed out of the apothecary. The door slams shut behind him.

Jet takes a breath and walks to where Li is still, thankfully, waiting for him.

As soon as he sets eyes on Li, he knows he’s messed up. The first words out of Li's mouth are admonishments which are fair enough. And all Jet can think of to say is that Li looks really nice. 

_When did I become so embarrassing?_ Jet laments. _I'm supposed to be cool._

Now he’s just bumbling around talking and talking and talking just to fill the silence that threatens to be awkward, unbearable, and inescapable as soon as he stops running his mouth.

Jet is on autopilot right now. He didn’t even realize where he’s taking Li until the other teen complained.

“I thought we were exploring the city,” Li grumbles next to him while following him anyway. “We haven’t even seen anything interesting.”

They’ve been walking for a while now and it’s Jet’s fault really. He’s making them wind their way through downtown, crisscrossing streets and taking unnecessary turns. It’s a thing he’s developed living in the forest where Fire Nation soldiers were just walking through beneath them. The enemy will have a harder time finding out where your base is if you take a different route every time. He doesn’t need to do that here. There isn’t anyone chasing him— for now anyway.

“We’re also getting to know each other,” Jet points out. “And you’ve just been there all quiet while I was telling you all about my day which makes you a poor conversationalist so you need to work on that.”

Li smiles a bit at that then frowns quickly like he can’t believe he just smiled. See, this is why Jet can’t get enough of this guy. He’s a puzzle wrapped up in a conundrum covered in a riddle. He’s like a book in an unknown language Jet wants to spend all his time reading. Maybe Smellerbee is right, maybe this is a crush. If so, he’s screwed.

“And what do you want me to talk about?” Li is getting that temper up again which means Jet is either really pissing him off or Li is actually having fun with the banter. Jet is still unable to tell.

“What do you do for fun?” Jet asks.

“I don’t have fun,” Li says.

“That’s right.” He nods in understanding. “It’s because you haven’t hung out with me yet.” He tacks on a little wink at the end to really make Li fluster.

Li gives him a rough shove. “Shut up.”

They keep walking while Jet stifles his chuckles and Li keeps ignoring him.

“How do you like the city so far?” Jet tries another tactic.

“It’s okay,” Li answers, blandly.

“Okay, I’ll ask again but this time you tell me the truth,” he says. “So, _Li_. How’d you like the city so far?”

Li gives him the driest look imaginable but then there’s that small uptick in his lips. Jet whoops in joy but only on the inside though his face probably says it all.

“Well?” Jet raises a brow.

“It’s horrible,” Li admits eventually, then finally lets go. “The neighbors are loud and they have a new baby that cries all the time I can’t get any sleep. Uncle keeps volunteering to babysit the children. They have a little girl too who loves sneaking out of their own apartment and into ours for no good reason and—”

The reason is that the little girl probably likes Li which makes sense because a lot of little girls have a penchant for wounded animals and strays. Jet doesn’t say that though because he’s pretty sure Li is always down to fight and he’s not in the mood to get punched.

“Some customers who come into the shop are so annoying!” Li continues. “They keep talking my ear off and I have to at least pretend to listen or they get their little feelings hurt and Uncle says I shouldn’t hurt the customers feelings because that’s bad for business. Some people keep asking me for recommendations on their order which is stupid because if you come to a tea shop then you should probably get fucking tea! They’re all just hot leaf juice! It’s not that big of a deal!”

It’s like all the things he’s been bottling up explodes as he rants for the entire way about how the Lower Rings and the lack of good entertainment. It all comes pouring out of him in angry bursts complete with hand gestures and Jet is absolutely beguiled.

“And you know what else?” Li turns to him.

“What?” Jet smiles.

Li looks at him straight in the eye and says, “I don’t even like tea.”

Jet finally bursts out into laughter.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Usually, Zuko isn’t one to enjoy having someone laugh at him but with Jet he doesn’t mind as much. It feels good to finally let it all out. He’s been trying to keep a positive, or at the very least neutral, point of view about the whole being a refugee and lying about their identities for his uncle.

Zuko knows how much his uncle has sacrificed for him. Uncle could’ve stayed at the Fire Nation, he could’ve gone back any time and left him alone to his own devices, he didn’t have to help him in his quest to capture the Avatar but he did and all Zuko could repay him with was a life in hiding and years full of mistakes. 

He needs to try to like it here. He wants to like this new life. If not for himself, then for Uncle. It’s the least he can do.

“How about you?” Zuko asks Jet a few moments after he’s finally cooled down from all the laughing he’s been doing at Zuko’s expense. “What do you do for fun?”

“I read,” Jet answers.

“You read?” Zuko chances a glance at Jet who’s looking straight ahead with a smirk playing on his lips.

“I should be offended that you sound so surprised,” Jet quips. “Did you think I can’t read?”

Zuko chuckles. “I just thought your hobbies would include more fist fighting and less literature.”

“I can like both,” Jet says with a grand sweep of his arms. “I know I’m a little rough around the edges but I have depth you know. Nuance and shit.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Zuko says with a smirk of his own.

“Are you making fun of me?” Jet asks suspiciously.

Zuko finds the small furrow of Jet’s brow and the pursed lips endearing. 

“I would never,” he promises.

“Good,” Jet nods and they continue to walk. 

The back of their hands have been brushing together every so often and Zuko is trying really hard not to think about it. Jet doesn’t seem to notice which is fine. Everything is fine. 

“Do you know where you’re going?” he asks after a few moments.

“Oh yeah.” Jet nods like he’s been snapped out of his thoughts. 

Jet leads him to the elevated train tracks. 

“Jet, what are we doing at the tracks?"

“How good of a climber are you?” Jet says instead of answering. He gives him that look again. The one that makes Zuko want to call his bluff and answer every challenge with his own. If he’s not careful, Zuko is going to get himself in so much trouble just because of that look. And if Zuko is being honest with himself, he’s never careful.

“Better than you,” Zuko replies.

“That’s what I like to hear.” Jet unsheathes two small knives from his pocket. “You need one?”

“No.” Zuko takes out his own climbing knives. “I have my own.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Just when Jet thinks he’s finally figured Li out, he surprises him. Li effortlessly brandishes his own set of ring knives and Jet can’t hide the unbridled joy that appears on his face.

“What are we waiting for?” Li asks, eyeing the empty train tracks.

“The train,” Jet says.

“You know I’ve seen trains before right?” Li twirls his knives mindlessly and Jet really likes Li right now. So much.

“Oh, have you?” Jet smirks. “Guess this was a bust.”

“What are we doing, Jet?” Li stabs the pillar of the tracks with his knife.

Jet puts a finger to his lips and points to his ear. Li angles his good ear up to the elevated tracks. They hear the sure sounds of the oncoming train.

“Follow my lead,” Jet says.

“Oh, joy.” Li mutters under his breath. 

Jet smiles to himself. _Oh joy, indeed._

They start climbing. 

Apparently, Li is a better climber than Jet. Li is already a few feet ahead of him as they climbed the pillar. Jet works to catch up and actually lead because he’s pretty sure Li doesn’t know what they’re doing yet.

The train is coming closer and they only have a short window of opportunity. Jet hopes he got the schedule right and the freight coming in is a supply train and not one filled with passengers. If it’s the latter, then they’re definitely screwed. Jet hopes they don't get caught.

“Once the train comes,” he tells Li. “We’re going to climb on top of it.”

“Are you insane?” Li gives him a sharp glare.

“Maybe,” Jet shrugs to the best of his ability considering they’re literally hanging on the side of a wall. “But something tells me this isn’t even one of the most dangerous things you’ve done.”

Li scoffs. “Not even remotely.”

The train comes roaring through and Li hauls himself up on the train grabbing on to the side and then scrabbling to sit and get on the roof of it. Jet watches it all happen with giddy disbelief. He was right. Li sure is something else.

“Are you coming?” Li yells as the train moves forward.

Jet heaves himself to the train and swings himself over on the roof. He gets his footing right before standing. Once he gets up right, he sees Li standing there waiting for him at the other end of the carriage.

He jogs over and once again grabs his wrist and leads Li to the best spot in the city. Li, much to his surprise, goes along with it with not so much as a token protest. 

“Let’s go to the front,” he says.

Li nods and follows Jet, jumping over cargo and in between the train carts. They finally find a cargo cart that’s flat enough to comfortably sit on and an open tarp so they can hide if they’re spotted.

Jet sits down tucking his feet under his legs, facing west into the city. Li follows suit silently sitting down next to him. Not close enough for their shoulders to touch or for knees to bump into each other, but Li is a solid, warm presence at Jet’s side. It’s comforting in a way.

The train rushes on and he can feel the wind in his hair.

“So.” Li looks at the Lower Rings of Ba Sing Se pass them by. “This is nice.”

Jet shakes head and chuckles, softly. “Wait some more. It’ll get nicer.”

The scenery changes as the train makes its way through the rings. Tonight’s cargo is going to take them all the way around the city. The train is picking up pace as they enter the Middle Rings. It’s astonishingly different from the Lower Rings. Where the Lower Rings have wooden and steel buildings with straw roofs piled with more wood, the Middle Ring has solid stone and tiles. Where the Lower Rings are crowded, packed with people, the Middle Ring is spacious but still busy. Where the Lower Rings are dark during the evenings with only the occasional light of a lamppost or lantern, the Middle Ring’s nightlife is filled with life.

Jet watches Li take it all in.

“You’re right,” Li says after a minute. “It gets nicer.”

“You see that small round park there?” Jet points to it.

“Yeah,” Li raises a brow in curiosity. “What about it?”

“They call it the lover’s circle,” he explains. “It’s called that because it’s a popular place for young men to bring the women they wish to court and tell them of their intentions.”

“Oh, and how do you know?” Li teases, “Court a lot of young women?” 

“I read about it,” Jet says. 

“Where?”

Jet grins, sheepishly. “I stole a book from a university student while I was out doing errands for my boss.”

Li gives him an exasperated look.

"He wasn't going to miss it," he says.

“Tell me more about the city,” Li asks and Jet can do nothing but oblige.

“That little group of buildings over there is Ba Sing Se University.” he points to a crop of buildings shaped into a square that separated by small spaces of manicured landscaping and fountains. 

He points to another more intimidating looking building, all rough edges and stone pillars. “And that's the Bank of Ba Sing Se.”

“Do you want to be a tour guide or something?” Li turns to him. 

“I’m just very interested in architecture,” Jet answers. “I’m interested in knowledge.”

“And how that knowledge helps you climb and break into buildings, you mean,” Li says.

“See I told you getting to know you things is easy.” Jet bumps their shoulders together. “You already know me so well.” 

“Maybe you’re just easy to read."

“Maybe you’re just very perceptive."

The train slows down as they round a corner and Jet waits for Li's reaction. As soon as they get past the curve, Li gasps. Below them is the twinkling lights of the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. Tall trees, gorgeous fountains, all bright and teeming with lights. The Upper Ring is a sight to behold.

“This is beautiful,” Li whispers. 

“Yeah.” Jet hugs his knees to his chest. “You know back home. Well, where I’m from anyway. At night, you could see the stars. Bright and beautiful.” 

Jet looks at the glittering city below. “Here all you can see is this.”

“You don’t think it’s beautiful?” Li asks.

 _No,_ Jet wants to say. He wants to say that this place makes him miss the forest and his Freedom Fighters— his family. He misses them so much that even thinking about it hurts. And what hurts the most is the knowledge that he can’t ever go back and that it’s all his fault in the first place.

He won’t tell Li all this though. He doesn't want to ruin the moment. So, he settles on, “There’s no place like home.”

“No,” Li agrees. Jet gazes at Li, who is still transfixed by the city lights. “I guess there isn’t.”

The old lady at the apothecary was right. This was much easier than he thought.

They spend the rest of the ride in silence and right before the train gets to the final station they make a run for it.

“Okay, let’s go.” Jet jumps off the moving train and hears Li scramble to follow him down. 

“You’re such an asshole!” Li yells.

* * *

Jet takes him a noodle shop. The only other people there are one man at the corner slurping quietly and a couple who are too engrossed in each other to even bother finishing the half-eaten noodles on their table.

They get a table and Jet orders for them which Zuko thinks is just him showing off but he appreciates because he’s never been here before. The waiter is giving them sly looks that Zuko does not appreciate at all. Meanwhile, Jet seems to have only food on the mind as he digs in immediately. And just like he’s done all night, Zuko follows Jet’s lead.

It’s after they’ve finished eating and now are just idly chatting that Zuko asks the thing he’s been wondering about since the last time they spoke. 

“Jet, can I ask you something?” Zuko makes a conscious effort not to look nervous. He balls his hands into fists under the table and trains his eyes on the empty bowls in front of them.

“Shoot,” Jet says.

“At the tea shop…” Zuko fights to get the words out before he loses his nerve. He can feel Jet staring at the side of his face. At the side where the scar is. 

"Why do you keep coming back to me?" Zuko asks, turning to Jet who looks away suddenly bashful. Zuko is not annoyed. Far from it actually. But he has this nagging voice at the back of his head. What does Jet want from him? He’s just a nobody here. And he’ll stay a nobody if he knows what’s good for him.

_What could someone like Jet possibly see in him?_

"I don't know." Jet looks at him then, his eyes warm with affection. "The more I look at you, the less lonely I feel."

And that strikes a chord in him. Deep and painful. Zuko can understand feeling adrift, being alone. Wanting someone, something, or somewhere to anchor himself to. Just to feel settled, more rooted to the spot instead of just getting flung through the air aimlessly by fate.

He looks at Jet, and properly looks at him this time. Zuko notices a vulnerability there under all the confidence and self-assuredness. He’s not sure if it’s always been there and he just hasn’t been paying attention. Or perhaps, Jet is showing it to him for the first time. He’s opening up and Zuko feels lost.

“Don’t you get lonely, Li?” Jet presses. His face is open and those eyes seem to have depth that Zuko can’t even imagine wading through. He thinks he’d like to, though.

“I do,” he admits.

“Then, let’s be friends.” Jet puts his hand out waiting for a handshake.

 _A friend_. Zuko has never had one of those before.

"Okay." He breathes out. “Friends.”

He takes Jet’s hand and holds it. Jet gives him a smile that rivals the bright city lights of Ba Sing Se. Of the stars. 

Zuko lets himself return the sentiment. _So, this is who Li is,_ Zuko thinks. Li is a tea shop server living with his Uncle Mushi. And Li has a friend. Zuko realizes that he’s never actually had a friend before. At least that’s one thing Li has over Zuko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive finally outlined this thing and it's going to be a doozy. let's hope i can do it justice!


	4. Crawling back to you over and over again.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jet gets in so much trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments continue to be wonderful and appreciated! Anyway, here's the thing.

Jet crumples up another piece of paper and tosses it over his shoulder where the rest of his scrapped plans lie in a messy heap. His dorm room floor is littered with old maps, dock schedules, and scraps of papers he’s scribbled on in the past few days. Gathering intel isn’t his forte but he’s pretty good in a pinch—and he’s in a fucking pinch.

The way his brain works is this: he thinks of a goal and goes backwards from there. His goal is to steal some food headed to the Upper Rings and give to the refugees stuck in the squatter area the Dai Li calls a refugee center. Easy enough except for the fact that carrying a giant crate of food is never going to go unnoticed.

Usually, this type of thing comes easy to him. He’s not going to be modest and say he’s a decent planner because that’s a lie. Jet is great with plans. He’s a fucking ace at strategy but these are extenuating circumstances for the sole reason that he’s doing this heist on his own. He always had the advantage of a crew by his side always. Now, he doesn’t.

He promised Smellerbee and Longshot no more rebel shit. He can’t in good conscience drag them into something they don’t want any part of. He’s pretty sure they won’t let him do this alone but he has to because they’ve built a nice little life here… but Jet still has things to do and he’s not going to stop until he does them. He isn’t a hundred percent sure on what exactly he needs to be doing but whatever.

“You coming with us tonight?” Smellerbee asks. She and Longshot came to invite him to some festival or whatever and he had to hastily cover the floor with a blanket and act like he’s sick.

Jet coughs. Once. Twice. Sniffs a little. He’s a wilting violet. “Nah, feeling a little bad tonight. Maybe I’ll be more chipper in the morning.”

“You alright, boss?”

“Yeah yeah. Just gonna sleep it off.”

“You want us to get you anything?” Smellerbee has concern written all over her face and Jet will feel guilty later when he isn't busy lying through his teeth. “Longshot probably has medicine or something. We can stay in with you.”

“Nah, don’t do that. You guys have fun and I’ll see you in the morning alright?”

Longshot and Smellerbee exchange looks then they both shrug.

“If you’re sure.”

Jet watches his friends walk away, and he breathes a sigh of relief. Definitely best to do this alone. He’ll figure out. He always does.

He looks at the smattering of loose paper around his room and realizes that he might be in over his head. The shipment is coming in a couple of days and he’s nowhere near prepared. He needs more intel. So, a reconnaissance mission it is.

* * *

He sneaks into the harbor as soon as the dock closes. He doesn’t know how he’ll go about stealing a whole crate of fancy grub but he’s thinking maybe he’d bribe or threaten (probably threaten) a couple of dock workers to look the other way and help him divert some stock. He wasn’t here to steal anything yet, just casing the joint when it’s finally time to rob the place blind. Figure out the guard rotation and where the best routes are.

After an hour of slipping in and out of hallways, climbing various scaffoldings, hiding under shipment boxes, and distracting a guard or two, Jet has got a pretty good idea on what he’s supposed to do. He’s clocked a couple of guards— the especially young-looking ones—he could potentially sweet talk (threaten) into maybe looking the other way while he liberated some food for the needy. Maybe appeal to their stone-cold hearts while he’s at it and get some help transferring the goods.

Jet loves it when a plan comes together.

But then, Jet does something both dangerous and stupid. As he leaves the dock, he stumbles upon a crate wrapped in cloth and tied up. It sticks out like a sore thumb against the dingy wood boxes all over the place. He debates opening the mystery crate for a grand sum of half a second before carefully untying the rope and prying the lid open with a knife. All he could think of while doing this is how these guards ain’t shit. If he had his Freedom Fighter with him, they’d have ransacked this place in no time.

The lid finally gives, and he’s rewarded with stacks of refined scrolls and freshly bound books. Not the stupid, outdated books they had at the secondhand shop in the market, but actual brand new literature bound for the Upper Rings. He’s never seen anything so fucking beautiful. Jet sniffs the air and is rewarded with that freshly printed book smell. 

The shipments is probably going to some private library or new age bookstore in the richest part of the richest part of town.

It only takes him a second to decide that he’s not coming out of this dock empty handed. Because really, the best part about any mission is the improvisation.

He takes a quick around his surroundings before stuffing one of everything in his rucksack.

Jet is about halfway full of his haul when he hears a guard approach. He pops the lid back quickly and hides under the nearest thing he could. He clutches the literature protectively to his chest, waiting anxiously for the guard to leave.

As soon as the boots were out of sight, Jet makes a break for it. The great thing is he’s got more than he bargained for in this mission. The bad thing is that in his haste he crashes right into another freaking crate and bounces right off. A resounding smack echoes through the mostly empty dock.

“Who’s there?” a guard says.

Jet makes a run for it.

* * *

It seems like all Jet has done in Ba Sing Se is run. Like right now for example, he’s running away from the guards. He’s already run away from them twice in the past few weeks and he hopes his luck holds.

He’s crossed his third street when he a Dai Li agent sets his eyes on him. _Fuck_. The guards from the dock aren’t as stupid as the last ones so they’re gaining in on him too. Jet thinks fast. He throws his rucksack in the nearest trash bin and then climbs on the roofs again. Just as he lands on an alley, the Dai Li bastard cuffs his wrists to the wall with his earthbending.

The guards from the dock come tumbling in as Jet struggles against his restraints. His hands are over his head but his legs are still free so he starts kicking.

“I didn’t steal anything!” Jet starts. “Let me go!”

“What were you doing sneaking around the shipment?”

The Dai Li agent stays back, face impassive as the guards form a semi-circle around Jet. He swallows nervously as he tries to figure out how he can get out of this one.

“Nothing, man. I just got bored. There’s nothing to do around here.”

Jet expected the punch to the gut, but it still hurt like a bitch.

“What the fuck was that for?!”

“Lying isn’t going to make this easier for you, boy.”

“If you’re going to arrest me, just do it.”

The guards turn to the Dai Li agent waiting for his cue. The agent looks like he’s been hoping for something like this to happen tonight with that evil little glint in his evil little eyes.

“If he didn’t steal anything then sneaking in can be a forgivable offence,” the agent says. “But it’s best to teach him a lesson, don’t you think?”

The guards all got that sick and twisted look on their faces that meant something really bad is going to happen.

“Consider this your first warning.” The Dai Li agent leaves after releasing the stone hold on his hands.

Jet drops unceremoniously to the ground. He didn’t even have time to find his balance before he gets punched square in the face. Then kicked in the ribs. Then punched in the face again because these assholes really love a bloody nose apparently.

But what these stupid guards never expect is the fact that Jet is a fighter. And he also has a knife and will always fight dirty. As soon as the next punch connects, he grabs onto the fucker’s arm and stabs. Guard number one yells out in pain and he kicks him in the stomach for good measure. He feels another person’s blood seep into his sleeve which is always an odd sensation.

The surprise knife attack takes guards two to four aback enough to give him a wider breadth so Jet takes the opportunity to slam the guard nearest him to the wall. Jet punches him in the face and the guard goes down. Weak. He turns to the rest of the guards—there’s only one left. The other two already running off tail between their legs.

A couple of lucky punches later and a good stab to the thigh and hands gets Jet a pretty nice head start on his escape. He’d be better along if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s limping, and his face feels like it wants to fall off his head.

Jet circles back to where he threw his rucksack thanking the spirits it’s still there. He slumps on the nearest wall and catches his breath. His options are few. Option one: he could hobble back to his dorm and wait until Longshot and Smellerbee find him a bleeding heap on the floor. Option two: he could stay out here in the street until morning hoping that a kind healer will stumble upon him and tend to his wounds.

Or option three: he could go to a friend.

* * *

Zuko didn’t see Jet for a whole week and it is a welcome retreat—or so he keeps telling himself. He isn’t above visiting Jet himself at the his job or home, but he didn’t know where those places are exactly. He’s not worried, Zuko repeats to himself. He’s just kicking himself because it’s kind of a shitty thing for him to not know what Jet’s job is or where he lived. They’re supposed to be friends and that’s bad friend behavior. Or so he thinks.

It’s day eight of still no sign of Jet and Zuko admits that he’s actually a little concerned about his friend’s wellbeing. Jet has a penchant for doing dumb and dangerous things so really it’s only a matter of time before trouble catches up with him.

Lying in bed that evening, Zuko tries to think of a plan on where to start looking for Jet in case he still didn’t show up at the tea shop tomorrow. But before he could even formulate a cohesive thought towards the search, Jet crawls into his bedroom window bruised and bloody.

To his credit, Zuko doesn't freak out and get his weapons, and probably to Jet’s delight his first instinct was to ask what’s wrong.

"What happened to you?" Zuko cringes as it comes out more accusatory than concerned but baby steps.

“I got fucking mugged.” Jet almost collapses fully on the floor but catches himself just in time. “Fuck.”

Zuko hauls Jet over to the mattress. He places the other boy gingerly on the soft cushion and puts a pillow under his head.

“You’re a lifesaver, babe.” Jet sighs and closes his eyes.

Zuko takes a moment to really let it sink in that Jet climbed through his window and is now currently bleeding out on his mattress.

“What are you doing here?”

“You patched me up so good the first time.” Jet tries for a shrug, but his body is being a pain in the ass as the adrenaline quickly checks out of his system that it turns into a shiver. “Thought you’d do it again if I said pretty please this time around.”

Zuko wonders how Jet still has so much lip when he looks like he’s got the shit beat out of him.

“Pretty please?”

“I’m going to get some supplies outside.” Zuko has been trying to be more open to fate and nonsense like that so he lets Jet bleed out on his mattress and looks for the first aid kit in the dark.

“Don’t move or make a sound, you might wake my uncle up,” he says over his shoulder as he heads for the doorway to the living room.

“I’ll be so quiet you’d think I was dead.”

“You look halfway there already.”

* * *

Zuko comes back with a couple of bandages, some ointment Uncle stored for emergencies, towels, and a basin filled with warm water. He sees Jet half-asleep and he hurries to wake him up, his worry flooding back in full force.

“Jet,” he hisses shaking the other lightly.

Jet groans weakly. “What?”

“Oh, good you’re still alive.”

“Nice to hear that you care.”

“You’re so annoying.”

Zuko fires up a lamp and lets out a gasp to see just how the many bruises and blood are painting Jet’s face and body. A familiar rage burns in Zuko’s gut at the thought of someone laying their hands on Jet.

“That bad?”

“Jet, you did not get mugged.”

“Did too.”

“You’re too fucking poor for anyone to mug you, idiot.”

“Then how do you explain me being beaten to a bloody pulp?”

“You tell me, jackass!” Zuko exhales harshly trying to get himself together. Even when Jet is at his worst, he can still be so infuriating.

Jet, on the other hand, seems like he’s fighting a losing war on consciousness. Zuko takes off the other man’s shoes and starts opening his shirt. Much to his surprise, Jet doesn't make a lewd joke or token protest.

 _Must be really bad_ , Zuko concludes. And it is. He takes stock of all Jet’s injuries. Jet’s torso is red all over, his eye is swollen shut already the beginnings of a sick blackeye, his nose is bloody but thankfully not broken, and his lip is split. It’s not great but it could be worse.

He dabs the towel in the hot water and gently cleans Jet’s face. Jet sighs as soon as he feels the warm damp cloth and Zuko’s tender hands on him.

“Are you going to tell me what really happened?”

Jet opens his stupid mouth and Zuko sits back and listens to the stupidest thing he’s heard in a long while.

“You’re an idiot.”

“I had a plan.”

“An idiot with a plan, then.” Zuko is getting even angrier at every word Jet says. “Still a fucking idiot.”

“Fuck you! I was great back home I used to wipe the floor with fucking Fire Nation.” Jet winces right after he says it.

“Well, you’re not home,” Zuko bites back. “You’re here in the slums of Ba Sing Se and you need to deal with it.”

“Shut up!”

“You can’t keep trying to relive the fucking glory days, Jet. This is your life now.”

“You should say that to yourself, asshole.”

“I should kick you out.”

“Fucking do it, then.”

Zuko dabs Jet’s split lip with more force than necessary causing the other man to wince and jerk.

 _At least that shut him up,_ he thought.

“You don’t have any cuts other than your face,” Zuko notes.

“Small mercies I guess.”

“What I’m getting at is how do you have so much blood on your clothes if you don’t have any cuts?”

“Oh, yeah. Blood’s not mine. I stabbed a couple of the guards. Two of them ran when they saw I had a knife.”

“Okay,” Zuko nods. “That’s pretty cool.”

Jet smiles as much as his busted lip could let him. “Thanks.”

“Where was Smellerbee and Longshot when all this was going down?”

“They didn’t know I was doing it.”

“You went in there alone?”

“Yeah.”

“I know I’ve called you an idiot a couple of times already but come on.”

"I promised them I wouldn't get into any more trouble,” Jet explains like that makes things any better.

“You have a habit of breaking your promises?”

"Hey!" Jet protests then flinches as it pulls at his bruises. "I didn't hurt any innocent people."

Zuko snorts. "Clearly."

“I was good.”

“I believe you.”

Zuko focuses on bandaging Jet’s torso and making sure to apply the ointment not-so-gently because fuck Jet.

“You can’t be a one-man Freedom Fighter, you know,” Zuko says more softly this time. Lets the worry seep into the words to clue Jet in.

“I know.” Jet opens his good eye and Zuko can’t look away. “Thanks, Li.”

“What are friends for?”

Jet falls silent as his breathing evens out, Zuko assumes that the other man has fallen asleep. Typical. He takes him time to patch Jet up as best he can without jostling him too much. He wipes at his naked chest where the blood has dripped down from his face. Then, he spreads the salve on Jet’s ribs feeling for any protrusions or broken bones.

Zuko realizes he’s never done this before. His hands shake as he tends to Jet’s bruises because all he’s ever mended were his own scrapes. And even then, someone else always took care of him. Now, doing it for someone else, caring for someone in their most vulnerable moment makes him feel scared, nervous.

“Can I stay here for the night?” Jet’s voice startles Zuko out of his thoughts. “I don’t think I can make it down your window without faceplanting and wouldn’t it be a shame to break this face.”

“It’s already broken, jackass.”

“Pretty please?”

“Fine,” Zuko grumbles. “But scootch over. I’m not sleeping on the floor.”

“Do you… want to cuddle?”

“I will give you another black eye.”

“Promises promises."

Jet wiggles a little in a pathetic attempt to make room for Zuko.

“Stop moving. You’re going to fuck up all my hard work.”

“Excuse me for trying to give you a more comfortable spot.”

“Shut up and pass out.”

The mattress isn’t big enough for them to each have their own side. It barely fit Zuko most of the time. But tonight, and only for tonight, he can forgive the proximity of Jet sleeping beside him only centimeters away from touching.

As they lie there side by side in Zuko’s too small mattress in his too small room, Zuko thinks not for the first time if Jet is more than what he bargained for.

* * *

Zuko wakes up at the crack of dawn. He takes a couple of seconds to get his bearings straight. Jet is sleeping soundly beside him still lying on his back. Zuko moved to his side while he was sleeping apparently because when he opens his eyes, he’s given a perfect view of Jet’s face. He realizes with extreme mortification that his hand also found its way to Jet’s bare chest in the night and he’s about to yank it off when he notices Jet’s hand is covering his own, keeping it there.

He closes his eyes and prays for sleep to take him again. He’ll deal with this in the morning. He just hopes it doesn’t become a habit.

* * *

It becomes a habit. It becomes a really bad habit and the worst thing about it is Zuko doesn’t really mind that much. This is just like the tea shop thing again but worse because they are technically sneaking around.

He’s pretty sure Uncle doesn’t know anything yet, but the old man can be perceptive and Zuko isn’t that great of a liar.

Recently, more often than not, Zuko comes home after his shift with Jet already in the room with his plans and notes and more books he’s managed to get from some unknown source. Zuko can’t say he minds the intrusion that much. Since Jet started doing this, he’s been terrorizing Zuko at the tea shop less.

“I told you not to make it a habit.” Zuko says one afternoon as he enters his room to find Jet reading a pile of scrolls.

“When do I ever listen to you?” Jet has that stupid smirk again. “Kick me out, then.”

Zuko rolls his eyes and Jet beams.

“Why do you keep reading all that boring crap about governance and war,” Zuko asks changing from his uniform to his sleep clothes. Jet has the decency to cover his eyes with the scrolls and not watch him change.

“It’s not boring to me,” Jet answers distractedly.

“Don’t you have more interesting things to read?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know novels or plays or short stories.”

“What kind?”

“Like epics with heroes saving the day or romance with heroines getting swept off her feet by handsome suitors. That kind of fluff.”

Jet lowers his scroll and gives Zuko a most impish smile. “Is that the kind of thing you’re into? Romance? Is Li a secret romantic? Are you actually a softy?”

“Fuck you.” Zuko leaves his own room in a huff slamming his door closed.

* * *

Jet wakes up from a nightmare torturously slow. He could still see the flames engulfing his villages from behind his eyelids. The screams for help and mercy ring in his ears crystal clear still like it didn’t happen over a decade ago, like he isn't in the safest place he could be right now.

He stares at the ceiling willing his brain to stop replaying those memories over and over again. It’s suffocating. He’s drowning. He needs air.

Somewhere to breathe.

Jet goes to Li.

Jumping on the roofs of the houses and scaling walls makes him miss the forest. Everything makes him miss the forest. The fresh air. Hiding at the tops of trees in their makeshift houses. It wasn’t much but it was home and he’s left more than memories there.

As he runs through alleyways trying to avoid the Dai Li patrolling during curfew, he wonders what the rest of his gang is up to. He hopes they're safe. That's all he's ever wanted for them.

Li's apartment looks exactly like the rest of the shoddy living complexes in the neighborhood. Jet has half a mind to turn back but he's already here and just the very thought of returning to his dorm room makes him feel ill.

He scales the wall quickly and finds what he's looking for. He'll scold Li later about leaving his window open at night even after he told him to lock it, but now he just watches the other teen's peaceful, slumbering face and the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.

Jet steps in from the window and Li wakes up. In a blink of an eye, there are two swords pointing at his face. Okay, so maybe Li is more prepared than the last time he snuck in in the middle of the night.

"Jet?" Li is still half asleep, but his stance is steady which impresses Jet even more.

"Yeah, it's me. Calm down." He makes a show of taking slow steps towards Li, who does not appreciate it one bit.

"What are you doing here?"

"Pipe down," Jet says, which only makes Li madder. "You'll wake your uncle."

"Jet." Li fixes him with a flat stare that would have looked mean if it wasn't so adorable with his bed head.

"I'm having a bad night," he confesses. "I just wanted some company."

"Why didn't you go to Smellerbee or Longshot?"

"You're closer." A lie, they both knew it but it did get Li to lower his weapons.

"What's the real reason you're here?"

Jet sighs long and deep. If Li left well enough alone, he probably wouldn't like him as much.

"I had a nightmare and I wanted to be with you."

Li thinks about for a moment before finally setting his weapons down and getting back on the bed.

"Fine," Li huffs. "But if you snore like last time, I'm kicking you out. And you have to leave before uncle wakes up."

Jet takes his shoulder guards, outer robes, and shoes off, then joins Li on the bed. "You're the best. I knew I could count on you."

Li rolls his eyes and says, “Shut up.”

They settle on the small mattress, Li's back turned to him and Jet flat on his back. Instead of sleeping though, Jet stares at the ceiling while Li tosses and turns at his side.

“You’re mad,” Jet says.

“Yeah, some jackass broke into my room and decided to sleep here.”

“That jackass thanks you for your immeasurable kindness.”

Li kicks him in the shin for that. “What was your nightmare about?”

“Fire Nation.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

After a few minutes of silence, Li asks, “What happened?”

Jet doesn’t answer for so long that Li probably thought he’s fallen asleep.

“My parents were soldiers. Not Earth Kingdom thought just… like Freedom Fighters. Them and other adults at home protected our little village. Every time the Fire Nation tried to get an inch; they’d be sent packing. It was amazing.

“But then, one day this Fire Nation came full force. There were a lot of them, but my parents and their crew knew the forest better and soldiers couldn’t even reach the town. We thought we would be safe, but the Fire Nation just kept coming and coming. Every day there was more and more and more of them. We still survived but barely...

“Then the Rough Rhinos rode in.” He realizes that it’s the first time he's telling someone the full story. “And they burned everything to the ground.”

Everyone back home already knew about it. The older ones like him lived it and he thanks the stars the younger ones don't really remember. Jet turns his head to see Li looking at him eyes filled with concern. He realizes that tears are streaming down his face.

“It’s okay,” Li says.

“Sorry—"

“I understand.”

Li takes his hand and holds it there for a second before squeezing it—once… twice… three times. Jet squeezes back.

They lie there in Li's room, in the dark, and Jet takes solace in the fact that he is not alone.

"Go to sleep, Jet."

"Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. I wanna be with you, I wanna be barely hanging on.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jet and Zuko at a party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! but here we go. hopefully more regular updates soon.
> 
> update: made a few changes!

Jet sleeping in Zuko’s bed doesn't happen often. Maybe once every few days but it is often enough that Zuko has come to expect it. Zuko doesn’t know what to make of it really. All he knows is it only takes one cocky smile until he lets Jet’s warm body sidle up next to his. And he will admit this to no one but whenever Jet is there, sleep comes quicker than ever before.

It’s one of those nights where Jet climbs up the side of the apartment building and through his window. It isn’t even midnight yet. Another thing that’s been happening is Jet coming to his room earlier and earlier. The sun has barely set and yet here Jet is making himself comfortable with his little rucksack full of pens and scrolls reading through whatever it is he brought with him this time.

“I think you like it,” Jet says out of nowhere. Zuko has been sharpening his dao blade against a stone it gives his hands something to do while he watches Jet out of the corner of his eye on the other side of the room.

“Like what exactly?” Zuko pretends to study his blade instead of looking up. He gives the stone a slow, measured stroke along the blade. He hasn’t had use for his swords as Li living in the Lower Rings, but one never knows.

“Me being here.” Jet gestures to himself and the room. He adds, “Sleeping in your bed.”

Zuko has a few choice words on the tip of his tongue but he knows if he said any of them Jet would have something more cutting to say right after. So, he stays silent and watches Jet read through whatever caught his interest now.

“Maybe I feel sorry for you.” A sharp stroke sends sparks flying from the edge of the sword.

“Yeah, this does feel like pity.” Jet doesn’t even look up. “You have such a huge heart taking in people down on their luck. Do you often open your doors to handsome young men?”

“Mock me some more and I’ll throw you out.”

"You didn't deny the handsome part."

"You really like hearing yourself talk, huh?"

Jet snickers and Zuko ignores him. He doesn’t like to admit it but having Jet hanging around his room and the tea shop makes his day a lot less boring. They spend hours in comfortable silence only breaking when Jet wants to share something, he’s found funny in whatever he was reading or if Zuko wants to argue. They don't spend their afternoons in a lot of silence.

Even though he’s said the contrary multiple times in different volumes, he likes having Jet in his room. He likes Jet’s attention on him. He likes having Jet as a friend. He might even like Jet but that’s a problem for another day.

* * *

Smellerbee is looking at Jet weird. She has been since this afternoon when her, him, and Longshot met at the plaza so they could all grab dinner together. All she’s done is stare at him with her that suspicious glare in her eyes.

“Okay, what?” Jet finally asks. They’re climbing the stairs to their dorm and after a meal of Jet talking at Longshot the whole time, he’s getting pretty antsy.

“You’ve been going out a lot,” she says.

“So, I go out.” He shrugs, stuffing his fists in his pockets. “What about it?”

Longshot scowls at his sudden defensiveness.

“Just wanted to know if you’re up to anything.” Smellerbee’s tone is patient but the set of her jaw means business.

“I’m not.”

“Jet,” Longshot says stopping him just as they turn the corner. “We’re worried.”

“Is this about that time I got into a fight?”

“You had a black eye and bruises everywhere!” Smellerbee yells.

“I had a little trouble with the Dai Li because I got caught breaking curfew,” he lies. He bites his lip trying to find the right words to get them off his back and alleviate their worries even for a bit. “Living in the city still needs some getting used to. I just wanted to explore you know… I was missing home.”

The last part is true. All he does when he's not working or with Li is miss the forest. He misses his Freedom Fighters. He misses his family. But that’s all gone now. The tree houses have long been abandoned and the forest are clear of any fighters.

“It’s better to survive here than die in the forest, Jet.” Longshot puts a hand on his shoulder, and it hits him then that they’re all feeling the same thing. Only they’re much better at dealing with it than he is.

“I know,” he replies quietly. He doesn’t quite believe it though.

* * *

Zuko is once again being pestered by Jet at the tea shop. Okay, technically, no. Jet is actually behaving himself and staying far away from Zuko. Jet is nursing his tea and talking to some people. They’re huddled over the table at the far corner near the door.

Zuko is pretty sure Jet has never seen the people he’s talking to before, but they’ve been laughing and trading stories like they were lifelong friends. It sets Zuko on edge. He doesn’t let it bother him though, at least not so obviously. He’s been ignoring him although they aren’t paying him much attention.

“Looks like Jet makes friends fast,” Uncle comments when he comes back from a table.

“I didn’t notice,” he mutters sharply under his breath. He focuses on grabbing the next order and studiously ignores the roaring laughter from the other side of the shop.

Zuko knows Jet has other friends like Longshot and Smellerbee. He probably has work friends too. And it’s not like Jet owes him his full undivided attention every time he goes to the shop. But he thought Jet only went to the shop to see him. Turns out he's wrong.

He’s so caught up in thinking about Jet and being annoyed at Jet and being annoyed at himself that he’s even mad at Jet, that he doesn’t notice that a girl in Jet’s group has been staring at him this whole time.

A pretty girl with braided hair comes up to the counter with a smile just as he’s about to serve the next round of customers.

“Hi,” she says.

“Um.” Zuko blinks. “Hello.”

“What’s your name?”

“Li…”

“Hi, Li.” Her smile brightens. “My name’s Jin. And well, I was wondering if you’d like to go out sometime?”

Zuko’s eyes widen. Uncle answers for him with a bright, “He’d love to!”

“Great! There’s a party tomorrow night. I’ll meet you in front of the shop at sundown.”

She heads back to her table giggling and Uncle thumps him on the back.

* * *

Later that night, Zuko hides out in his room pretending to be busy so his Uncle would stop bothering him about going clothes shopping. He’d rather get blown up by pirates again.

He’s trying to mend his robes, he keeps poking his thumb with the needle and the thread bunches up the cloth, when Jet climbs in his window. The sun has barely set yet Jet is here to spend the night again.

“What are you doing here?”

“Like I need a reason.” Jet plops down on his usual spot in Zuko’s room. He’s already getting out his little notebook he still refuses to show Zuko. Today, Jet has maps too. After a while, Jet finally notices what Zuko is doing and says, “You’re stitching that wrong.”

“I know,” he says as he accidentally pricks his finger again. “Ow.”

“Let me do it.” Jet abandons his notes and maps and shuffles over to Zuko. He takes the needle and cloth gently from Zuko’s hand and starts work.

Zuko sucks on his bleeding thumb and watches as Jet deftly redoes his stitches. It looks easy when Jet mends the clothes, an easy push and pull of the thread through the garment. “You’re good at that.”

“Had tons of practice.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I had to patch up a lot of clothes back home. When you’re running around the forest, your clothes are always gonna rip, and proper robes and pants are hard to come by. So, you make do with what you have.”

“Oh,” he says for a lack of anything else. Jet doesn’t mind the awkward response; he’s used to it by now. Zuko always had other people take care of things for him. And apparently, Jet has always been the person taking care of others. It pulls at Zuko's heartstrings but he doesn't know why.

Jet knots the thread and cuts it with his teeth. He holds the now mended robe in front of him, the tear barely even noticeable although the places Zuko butchered were obvious.

“There.”

Their fingers brush against each other briefly when Jet hands the robe over.

“Thanks.”

Zuko focuses on folding the robe on his lap not at all paying attention to the warm feeling of Jet's fingers on his own. 

“You know what I’ve always wondered?” A leading question. Jet’s good at that.

“What?”

“What do you do in your free time?”

"I told you before. I don't do anything for fun."

"Yeah, but what do you do when you're not working?"

“I do this.” Zuko continues to pay no attention to Jet who is inching closer and closer.

“Every time I’m here, you’re either just sitting around sulking or picking a fight with me.”

“It’s either pick a fight with you or someone else.”

“I’m flattered that I'm your top choice.”

“You’re convenient.”

Jet laughs and Zuko’s lips turn up in small smile.

“Are you coming with Jin to the party tomorrow?”

“Probably. She said she’d pick me up after work.” He sighs and continues fold and refold the robes. “My uncle wants me to.”

“Do you want to?”

 _Will you be there?_ He doesn’t ask. Instead, he shrugs.

“It’s going to be fun, Li.”

“If you say so.”

The night rolls on with more bickering. Zuko produces more clothes in need of mending and Jet tries to teach him the proper way to sew. After the third or fourth garment, Zuko thinks he's getting the hang of it if Jet's warm smile was anything to go by.

Jet sleeps over again. He brought extra pillows last time he was here, so their cot is more crowded. When it became _their_ cot Zuko doesn’t want to know. Zuko is staring at his ceiling again while Jet is snoring softly beside him.

“Li, I’m trying to sleep.”

Zuko sighs. “I’m not doing anything.”

“ _Go_ _to sleep._ ”

“Fine.”

* * *

Jin is waiting for him outside the shop like she said she would. Zuko is wearing the nice clothes Uncle bought for him and his hair is… in a state. He’s scared to actually touch it if he’s being honest. With the amount of pomade in their, he's afraid his hand will get stuck.

Zuko walks up to Jin slowly unsure of what to say. At least she didn’t make him wait like Jet did.

“Hey,” she says. Her hair is up in a ponytail tonight.

“Hi.”

"Well, look at you." She bites her lip trying not to laugh. Zuko feels flushed under her gaze. She reaches out and ruffles his hair out of its pomade prison. "You look so cute."

"It took my uncle ten minutes to do my hair," he grumbles.

"You look great."

"Uh, you do too."

The walk to the train is silent. Zuko is at a loss on what to say and Jin doesn’t seem to mind.

“So,” Jin tries for a conversation. “How do you like the city so far?”

“It’s okay.”

“What do you like to do for fun?”

“Nothing.” Zuko wonders why people keep asking what he’s doing.

The silence stretches on until they’re on the train. He fidgets with the hem of his shirt for something to do.

“What do _you_ do for fun?” he asks her.

She lights up at the question and Zuko breathes easy knowing he did one thing right. She starts talking about her interests and he nods at the right moments. It turns out Jin can carry a conversation for the both of them which is nice. He can't help but think about his and Jet's train ride a few weeks ago. How quickly Jet can make everything in Li's world about him.

They finally get to their stop and only then does he realize that they’re close to the Middle Ring of the city. She leads him through streets of restaurants and shops much fancier than the ones back in their neighborhood. Their last turn reveals an amphitheater; the tiers of it goes lower than street level like a pit. There are strings of paper lanterns everywhere giving the place an almost ethereal glow.

There’s a band playing a song he doesn’t recognize. People lining the steps talking among themselves, some dancing and singing. In the middle of it all is Jet. He’s surrounded by a small crowd and even though he’s not the one talking, it’s like he’s still the center of attention. Jet says something and the whole crowd laughs, he laps up their adoration like he’s made for it and maybe he is.

Jet isn’t wearing his usual mishmash of clothes and armor. Tonight, he has a green long sleeveless tunic with loose pants. His hear is actually brushed so it looks nicely tousled instead of messy. He looks like a regular teenager. It’s like looking at a different person. Then, he smiles and it’s undoubtedly Jet.

Jin must still be talking to him but he’s so fixated on Jet that he can barely focus on anything. Zuko isn’t sure how long he stares but suddenly Jet looks away from his adoring crowd and turns in their direction like he’s known Zuko was eyeing him from across the amphitheater.

“Oh, hey look it’s Jet,” Jin says pointing and waving. “Let’s go say hi.”

Zuko’s face heats up at the fact that maybe Jet wasn’t actually looking at _him_.

He stands awkwardly beside Jin as she says hi to her friends and Jet is just there smiling casually like it’s his party. Zuko has never felt invisible before until now. In the Fire Nation, he was Prince Zuko. He entered the room and people would bow in respect. Then, he was the banished prince, burned and forced to go on an impossible quest. People would turn their heads and look at him with pity.

Now, he’s just some kid standing around with other kids. He blends in the background here. He knows that’s the whole point. That’s what he and his uncle are vying for. Anonymity. No one would care to take more than a passing glance.

But then Jet’s eyes meet his and he doesn’t feel like another faceless refugee. He doesn't feel like he's hiding at all. Even before they got to the city, Jet saw something in him. Zuko feels seen in a good way.

Jet stands leaving the crowd to sit beside him instead. He’s both thankful and annoyed. He doesn’t need Jet to babysit him. He can get through a party on his own. Then, again maybe not.

“So, you and Jin,” Jet teases.

“What about it?” Zuko turns his head to see Jin giggling with her friends while she gets them drinks.

“I hate to break this to you, Li but you’re on a date.”

“I know.” He did not know but he’s not going to let Jet get an edge on him. “Aren’t you supposed to be happy that I’m going out?”

“Yeah.” Jet grins but it’s a little strained at the edges.

Jet pats him on the back and leaves him alone. He watches the other boy walk towards a small group huddled close to the band. He realizes belatedly that it’s Longshot and Smellerbee. Jet slides into the group effortlessly, Zuko almost feels envious.

Jin comes back and Zuko is distracted by another stilted, awkward conversation. As the night goes on, Jin realizes that he isn’t going to get any better at this thing. She drifts off to go chat with her friends leaving him alone. He's not even mad. Even he doesn't want to talk to himself.

Zuko is wondering if he should just leave when Smellerbee and Longshot wave him over. Jet isn’t with them which is a shame. He walks up anyway wondering what they want from him.

“Hey,” Smellerbee says. “Small world.”

“I guess.”

“How have you been?”

Zuko pauses. “Alright."

"Are you and your uncle doing okay?"

"Yes. My uncle and I work at a tea shop.”

He bites his lip as the realization dawns. Jet hasn’t told his friends about him. If they don't know that they work at the tea shop and that Jet comes to see him there almost every other day, then they most certainly don’t know about the late nights. They don’t know anything about him other than the ferry.

It hurt Zuko more than he would have liked.

“Jet visits sometimes,” he adds.

Smellerbee and Longshot share a quick look and then turn back to him. He meant to say it but it still feels like a slip up.

“So, you’re where Jet goes off to every night.”

“I guess.”

“You and Jet spend a lot of time together?”

“We do.”

Longshot nods. “Be careful with Jet.”

Zuko raises a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Smellerbee shakes her head and sighs. “He’s been through a lot.”

“I think we all have. That’s why we’re here.”

They stand around in silence for a moment. Smellerbee lost in thought, Longshot studying Zuko’s face intently, and Zuko trying to calm the emotions bubbling in his chest.

“Be careful with him,” Smellerbee repeats. “He deserves someone nice.”

“Okay.”

Zuko tries to figure out what that has to do with him. The stress of socializing with people he doesn’t know and the person he wants to talk being the most popular guy at the party made him drink more than he was supposed to. He can handle his drink, he lived with sailors for years, but he's also kind of upset and maybe the drinks were stronger than he thought.

He’s brooding in one corner alone when Jet squats in front of him and tsks.

“You’re red all over.”

“I’m fine.”

“I think it’s time for me and Li to head home.” Jet bops him on the nose.

"You can't leave Smellerbee and Longshot."

"They already went home like an hour ago."

“I came here with Jin,” Zuko manages to say.

Jet looks back and waves Jin over. “Is it cool if we leave early?”

“Sure.” Jin tucks a strand of hair behind her ear smiling shyly. “Don’t worry. I’ve got friends here too. You can go if you want.”

“If you’re sure,” Zuko says. He feels Jet drag him away.

She nods and gives Jet a wink.

“See you later, Jin.” Jet waves.

“Bye, Jet. Bye, Li.”

* * *

Jet feels sort of victorious that he got Li out of there. He feels bad that he couldn’t spend more time with him at the party but making connections throughout the city is much more important. If he’s friends with more people outside the Lower Rings, the more influence he gets. Also, Li was technically on a date with Jin and that would be a dick move if he started just inserting himself in _that_ situation.

It was also kind of funny to see Li pout around. If he just smiled a little more, then the girls eyeing him throughout the night might have gathered enough courage to talk to him. Jet is snapped out of his musings when Li speaks.

“I don’t think I’m made for that kind of stuff,” Li says faintly on the train back home.

“What stuff?”

“The whole normal teenager thing. Going to parties. Having fun.”

“Don’t say that.” Jet bumps their shoulders together.

“I’m not complaining. It’s just…” Li sighs. “My uncle really wants me to be normal.”

“I think your uncle just wants you to be happy.”

“I’m happy when I’m actually doing _something_.” Li is gripping the fabric of his pants.

“Like what?”

Li sighs. “Maybe like what we did on the ferry. Maybe doing something good for a change.”

“We can do that,” Jet says carefully.

“What did you have in mind?” Li finally meets his eyes.

Jet smiles, all teeth, eyes bright. “I thought you’d never ask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading! your comments mean the world to me <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! (Next chapter will be up by next week, I hope).
> 
> I'm on [ tumblr ](firelord-boomerang.tumblr.com)too if you want to chat! I'm always down to talk about Jet x Zuko <3


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